


Mission Flirt

by Pandagirl23



Series: Enass-AU [25]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Awkward Flirting, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Bucky Barnes Remembers, Bucky Barnes is a secret nerd, Canon Divergence - Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Competency is a turn on, Cute Tony Stark, Denial of Feelings, M/M, Maria Stark is Not Tony Stark's Mom, Mission goes right, Post-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Smart is a turn on, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Shares, Tony Stark Still Has Arc Reactor, Tony Stark is thirsty, tony stark is a nerd
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-16 07:22:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28578183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pandagirl23/pseuds/Pandagirl23
Summary: Tony may have been booted from the bigger roles of the first team mission, but it doesn’t mean he can’t enjoy his teammate kickass
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark
Series: Enass-AU [25]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2017507
Kudos: 27





	Mission Flirt

**Author's Note:**

> Tony has a thing, he won't say he has a thing. He won't say anything about having a thing. 
> 
> Bucky Barnes is a competent ex-assassin when it comes to a mission. He makes his metal arm looks sexy. Tony Stark thinks it is sexy. 
> 
> Surprise, Bucky Barnes is a math nerd! He likes Tony's smarts and Tony also likes his smarts. Both don't know they like that also. The slow burn is real here guys. 
> 
> Next fic will be surrounding less Tony and Bucky, more with the kids messing around in the lab than with a rocket (Not that kind of rocket).
> 
> Always, if you are confused about what is happening, please refer to earlier fics for context if not, enjoy the subtle I like that about that person, but I won't say it out loud.
> 
> Thank you for reading this indulgence of a fic.

Tony sat in the van bored out of his mind, the mission is going smoothly. Smoothly he would say because he and Rogers aren’t in there giving each other strained smiles and civil conversations in the midst of people watching them. Maybe, it was because Rushman and Barnes kept the crowd so distracted that long enough to have Barton let them know where the drugs are being stored.

Another fun change in plans was that the Rhodey-Bear team is only to be called in as backup. Rogers has something to prove alright. At least his best friend can relax for the evening. They won’t be needing the backup.

He hasn’t spoken a word to Maximoff, which is fine by him, the tension in the van is so thick, he actually debated on if he can be subtle enough to crack a window. He can feel his armpits sweat at the amount of pressure being around these two individuals. He curbed Rogers attempts at “casual” conversation when Barnes became the topic of interest. Similar to his files and life, his and Barnes’s friendship building, mending, and conversations are for them alone.

Initially, it was supposed to be Barton and Wilson whooping ass, but it switched to Barnes and Rushman to kick ass and take names. Maximoff had visual on the other two while he and Rogers had watched on Widow and Winter.

Facing the remote cams that were fastened to the spy and soldier, Tony radio in when he got a notification of two men apart of the drug ring coming in hot.

“Winter and Widow, 3rd hallway, coming in hot, 15 feet and fast approaching. 2 of them.”

Steve stared at the camera trying to find where Stark spotted the men but realized it was dealing with that thing he wanted to see in use for fighting. It is proving helpful. See it was a good choice to have him in the van with him and Wanda.

“Copy.” Both of the team members responded under their breaths.

The male watching the two of them handle the men in quick succession, he had to keep everything in his body under control, when he finally got to see the arm work. The fluidity of the arm was one thing, it adjusted, shifted, and adapted to the moves Barnes needed. Shoulder length hair moving when the Winter Soldier knocked the man out, trying them up, and hiding the bodies.

Tony could name three ways that shouldn’t get him running. The arm, the competency that claimed confidence. Trust in one own skillset. The more than capable man murder strutting his way down the hall of the goal with Rushman.

Still, the mechanic mind kept replaying that quick knockout. He had to slow down the memory, he had to just stare at the first POV and Rushman’s POV of Winter Wonderland work. Maybe, he needs to watch porn. He has been antsy lately.

Crossing arms over his body, legs curling up, he kept watching out, ready with half a focus mind on any more men coming their way. Then he kept watching muscles moving with the strength of something uncommon on earth. 

Seeing a group of 7 men coming down the very same hall, he alerted the group at the same time of Wanda cluing them in on friends joining them.

In and out sort of. Tony was not complaining. The more he heard the held-back hits against faces or gut punches. Covering his mouth leaning on the panel, he pretended to be bored of his task of playing tech guy and lookout. Here he is, getting a front-row seat to what the Winter Soldier did before coming out of his state of submissive nature. Here is the man of nightmares taking everyone out as efficiently as the Black Widow. Tony gets to watch the human Bucky Bear maul his victims.

Pressing arms around his stomach, the genius kept watching brain running thoughts about him fanboying. Quickly switching screens with Steve even with the surprised ‘Hey’, Tony needed to calm down. He needed to breathe before the others in the van caught on to why he was breathing erratically.

Watching Rushman work through the growing gang of men, was to be expected. Professional, quick, and precise in her knock. She moved a little under the speed of Barnes, but he can see Barnes work through his group of thugs, dirty combat. Tearing his eyes away he spun around in his chair, throwing an arm over his eyes.

The exasperated huff from Maximoff and question whistle from Rogers, he ignored them still spinning.

“Aren’t you supposed to be keeping watch Stark?” Wanda scolded the older male in the van. She looked at him with disappointment that is to the point of being to Rogers ‘I am severely disappointed in you’ face.

Ignoring her, he kept spinning in his seat trying to spin away from the rising tide of images of a working Barnes.

“Tony, come on, let make sure these stay safe, be their eyes, and get done so we can go back to the Manor.”

The billionaire philanthropist tapped his chest gently over the reactor. He thought about his bed, guard bird, Northern and Milky way. The two blankets resting on his bed. The comfy sweater that he sunk into. Thoughts of Barnes’s body, tensing with each strike loosening then tensing with every jab. The body of a true soldier holding—

Stop. Stop. Stop.

He needed to sleep. He needs to wash off this body paint. He needs to ensure all the doors are covered up with wallpaper still. He needs to go home. Home to the tower. To the bots. To the safe space, he calls home. The boys will be out here for winter break.

Turning back to the screens he watches Barnes begin the track out to the back with Wilson, while Barton and Rushman finish securing all the products together for the police to pick up along with the group trying to distribute it. Tony tuned out why these drugs were so bad, something about strong hallucinogenic side effects when the user took it, can cause mass hysteria among the mass. Easy clean-up work though for a great band of heroes such as themselves.

Tony watched the two men, listening to their quiet discussion before switching over to Rushman and Barton. He can’t bring himself to have real interest in what they were doing. He heard Maximoff talk to Barton when she can now that the all-clear is official. Rogers is talking to Barnes and Wilson about something stupid.

The genius pulled out his phone scrolling through recent messages, group chats, and mass appeal of robotic videos he was taken up watching on his bigger off times. Stopping at the most recent number on display, he gnawed on his bottom lip.

Before the mission itself, after Nesreen went him, around that time frame, he talked to Barnes. It wasn’t even a long conversation; it was really simple. Something about the mission itself, making up-to-date maintenance checks on the beautiful arm the intelligent teen from Wakanda had done. It was casual, simple how was your day. Any new ideas cropping up? Projects. Deadlines. He responded with the usual, too much to do and too much to finish. Tony's big brilliant brain came up with the simple, if talking in person is a lot for them to do with one another, then they can text.

He told Pepper and Happy, he gave Barnes his number, and Happy for such a kind man had the shittiest grin he has ever seen. Pepper shook her head as he asked what was so bad about it. He has their numbers but Pep was just happy he and Barnes found a way to communicate that wouldn’t push them so hard out of their comfort zone.

Still, he told Nesreen, Mecili, and Rhodey, they all supported the decisions, but they had a look in their eyes that said something. He asked if he did something socially stupid but they are all simply rejected the notion he did something wrong. They found a way to chat without having a lapse in silence. The silence is nice too though.

Gazing at the phone number, he flicked away from it to the one to the mentees' group chat. Most recently the kids all 6 of them, became his mentees well, 5, Valentino is Mecili Mentee but still, the kid joins for the explosion. They were excited about being in the tower for the Winter break. He was going to be there 3 days of one week and another for the last week they are out there. Christmas with the family then out here to goof off. Science, but goof off.

He doesn’t want the tiny mentees around the others, even if he talks to Barnes, in a way. He can’t have that. Even if, he feels that Barnes would watch the kids. Hell, he knew Rogers would but he can’t have Rogers or Rushman bum rush the kids with questions about Ultron being a dinosaur! If they wanted to come to the Manor to see him work, he won’t deny them. Won’t push them away like his dad did him.

Issues. Love them.

Stepping out of the mental box he was enclosing around himself, Tony flicked back to Barnes's number, hoping to hope that Rogers and Maximoff are engrossed in the conversations of the others so he can shoot a text to Barnes.

 **Anthony** : Hey, I have something for you to try, no tell, not even Falcon

Barnes continued walking to the van shaking his hair out of the restraining done-up style (he does it but still annoying after a while) when he felt his phone vibrate in a bullet armored pouch. One good thing that the council did for them all. Stopping behind Wilson, he looked at his phone after shutting off the body cam. Eyes saw the number knowing it was from the small genius in the van. Bored out of his mind probably.

Opening the message, he felt a faint smile pull at his mouth. He replied quickly when the van door open to Steven beaming about their first successful mission as a team. Antsy son of a bitch, he wanted to fight, but he was not needed for this kind of mission. Fast and quiet, not hard and loud.

Subtly sliding his cell pack in its compartment, James saw Tony flashed his own phone at him knowing he can see the screen with a happy cylinder dome top robot spinning in a circle on the screen.

Coughing to cover the breathy laugh, Barnes looked back to see Natalia and Bird Eyes coming up as other cars part of the council security team come in to clean up the mess and criminals. The amusing eye sights he shared with Anton, hid away again when Tony turned back to the screens leaning back, feet on the panel board, the perfect example of relaxation. The ex-assassin knows better, Anthony's shoulders are stiff, eyes forcing the relax slack in his eyebrows and mouth tight-lipped straight.

Getting in the van back, Barnes took a seat by Wilson, who occupied the spot by Steven, waiting for Natalia and Barton to get in the front of the seat. He had to force himself to keep his hand off his phone from texting the man behind him.

Through the drive back, Maximoff and Barton tried to get him to talk about the dancing again. If Bucky felt his muscles tensing up, mouth keep tightly shut, he can hardly imagine how the mechanic must feel being at the certain without wanting to be. He gave them nothing. Nothing to chew on. Nothing use as ammo against him or Anthony.

The same night, late, 2:34 AM, James saw the several messages sent to him from the genius in the Manor about meeting on the balcony. He knew which balcony. It was when they shared a little about themselves. Where the curly-haired man shared the story about the dragons in the night sky, and when he practices the speech about where they stand versus where his family stands. He knows the balcony.

Walking up the stairs, down the halls, to the open glass panel wooden door, seeing the man staring at the sky, curled up in a blanket holding a yellow dragon with a smaller yellow gold dragon by its side. He felt the doe eyes on him when he made the heavy steps towards the door, bench, and him.

“Hey Snowberry, glad you can make it.”

“I don’t sleep. Making it easy.” James remarked listening to a quiet snort from the short-haired brunette.

Sitting by the warm radiant man, James found Polaris then made his way to Castor then to Rigel. Passing Betelgeuse. Anton was going to make him a bigger nerd than he already is. Leaning against his side of the stone bench arm, he looked at the genius, waiting for him to gather the thoughts he wants to say.

Tony licked at his lips a little to moisten them up, then he pulled out a Thermo, still warm between the cover, his hands, and body heat.

“I want you to try some coffee. Not poison. I swear.” He said gently.

Bucky blinked then nodded at the thermo. He never excepted the man to poison him, Anthony would do it with style if he could. Stormy blues watched the smaller male uncapped the thermos, pour a good amount of liquid brown into the cap, and then taking the proffered cap once it was set down carefully on the seat.

Taking a sip without smelling it first, Bucky found himself confused at the unique taste. It tasted like the strong blend of coffee but then it also tasted like the soothing taste of tea. Taking another sip from the cap, he saw the shadows of a playful smile. He was confused. Was he poisoned? How is this working? Staring at the genius he kept sipping making an asking noise.

“Cofea.”

Pulling the cap away after his 8th sip, Bucky stared at him, “You made it up.”

“I swear to all pioneers of science, I did not. This Mr. Tastee-Freeze is called Cofea. I am letting you try some because… I figured… you might like it. If you don’t then I don’t have to share.” Tony started to reach for the cap only for the Winter Soldier to hide taking another spite-filled sip.

“I never said that Tony. I like it but… how? Coffee and tea? In one and it tastes good?”

Tony grinned taking a slow sip from another cap he pulled from under the blanket pouring himself a small cap full. “My momma made it. Created it. Cofea and Taffe. Taffe is more tea than coffee but this has a greater amount of coffee than tea. But it is still both. All the benefits of both plants.” He explained eyes sparkling with excitement.

Bucky looked at the almost empty cap, he silently asked for more getting a nice full cap full of this strange happy blend of coffee and teas. He also wanted to hide the growing surprise and internal preening that this man is sharing another part of himself. Something directly made from his mother. She is a genius; he can see where he got more of that beautiful big brain from.

“I have… another question, a request more like it.”

Bucky felt spoiled at being asked a request from this independent person. He found it telling by the way the frozen walls receded by the gushing fire the man usually brought only in a fight or flight scenario with the others, “Anything.”

Tony sipped hiding the flush he felt wanting to appear on his cheeks, “I have… 6 teens coming out here for winter break… they may come here to the manor. The six kids you’ve seen in the photo.”

Oh. Oh… oh! Bucky nodded remembering the 6 of them, surrounding the down mecha-saurs. Looking tired, weary but surprise they beat something so big. He saw the first group image of tired Avengers (before this… whatever they are) looking amazed they even survive and won 2012. Those 6, tiny smart brains being taught by their uncle and mentor. They are coming out here. Out here. Wait… out here. To the manor? Possible? Or just in the tower? Both.

“Do… you want me to help… keep an—”

“I mean! Only if you want to… can. Please. I work still, this isn’t my only gig, I mean… that was a shitty thing to say, they are usually good at keeping themselves busy… I give them a list of things to do and play around with… if they come here, I want to know they are safe, FRIDAY usually comes with me and VITO may not—”

“Yes.” James looked at the genius who mouth snapped shut, eyes big at the agreement that, yes, he will keep an eye on these kids. He understood the concern that floated around the big brown eyes that spoke of nervousness about the kids being around the others. He got it.

“One thing… I will keep it a secret… the light brown-haired child, a little lanky.”

“Peter?”

“Yes, him, he is spider-man huh?” Bucky can see the way Tony’s eyes rolled up so hard mumbling about super spies and assassins being smart asses. Well, he doubted Natalia and Bird Eyes figured it out yet. He knew most people in Anthony’s circle knew that the kid was a superhero. Brave, reckless, and smart like his mentor. At least he knows they do travel in flocks.

Tony sipped his cofea burrowing further into his blanket, “Yeah, that isn’t going to be a problem?”

Bucky shook his head to answer sipping on his own cap again, “I am happy to help.”

Tony nodded looking back to the sky, “Thank you… and I can have… VITO and FRIDAY give you access to the lab in case you have to wrangle the kids… or… if you want to work on something of your own.”

James schooled his features even when the bubble of happiness ballooned that inventor is allowing him in the workspace if he wanted to work on something. He may, he may.

“Or the tiny gremlins might bring you in on testing things with them. I ask, don’t let them get killed and injuries to a very small minimum.”

Bucky huffed out a laugh at the thought that any of them had injuries to a minimum with Tony Stark a mentor. “I will try.”

“That is all I can ask.”

The two men fell back into the warm quiet of their bubble until Tony's brain went back over the Winter Soldier files. Then the files about Bucky Barnes. His extremis powered brain compiles a big file then, that maybe he wants to work on a motorcycle. His own motorcycle plans with Rhodey’s are still be observed but… he might like working on vehicles.

James eyed the man lost in deep thought, electric sparks jumping from fingertips disappearing into the sleeves of the sweater shirt. Humming at him in another asking breath. Tony stared at the sky still even when answering.

“You like vehicles right?”

Barnes nodded.

“Well, I can have a car and motorcycle set up for you, so you aren’t bored out of your mind when watching the herd of teens play mad scientist.” Tony reasoned as if he needed to reason for Barnes not to back out. James wouldn’t have, even if Tony repeated that he doesn’t have to.

“I like both. I also… don’t mind watching people work. When you work on my arm, it fascinates me too… I now I am… not at yours, Shuri’s or even the kids coming level of—”

The futurist and superhero already can see that sentence heading, cutting the cold assassin short, “You are intelligent Barnes. Your… adaptable. You can… the mission tonight… you can calculate. I am sure you didn’t need me to say how far off those guys were. You are a sniper. Mathematics is what you use, geometry, trigonometry. Math. Fast math.” Tony pressed his hand to his mouth still watching the stars, but James heard it. Heard the whispered of _Don’t sell yourself short_.

He wanted to tell the man not to do the same to himself, but he felt the words stop in his throat. He wanted the man to see what the kids see in himself. He has forgone that form of reassurance and encouragement with, “Can you teach me more mathematics… if I wanted to know… and how… to make myself a better gun?”

Weapons, he stopped making unless it was for Rhodey’s upgrades, his own, or for the kid. Hell, even Harley’s little scratch guns. “I… yeah I can, I don’t mind. Actually, we can make it a group effort… I mean a pair project. I can teach you… as we go. If you… want to learn more things after…”

“I would like that Tony.” He replied with all the emotions he can muster about the kindness of being taught by this man. Even when he stopped being a weapons creator and seller, he is offering to help him with this. He would take the offer also of learning more things about this world, even if his memories of the present-day said the amount, he knew but didn’t know.

The pair shared the Thermo till it empty, the sun rays peeked over the horizon as the fall air seem to avoid their warm bubble of quietness. The two cleaned up, gathered the caps, heading back inside. Barnes held the empty dishes while Tony held his toys (Milkyway and Northern he learned by guessing) and blanket.

Turning a little to the hall leading to the kitchen and his room, Bucky looked at Tony, sleepy eyes but wakeful, knowing this man is going to head to the said lab for work. Deadlines always circling the clock. The Winter Soldier may not be asleep himself at this point either.

Tony shucked his blanker more around himself, “If you… aren’t asleep later today… come down. I might be working or sleeping but… we can start… earlier by finding you… that bike or car.”

Bucky nodded more, feeling the same smile return ghost-like on his face, “I will ask Miss FRIDAY or VITO if you are awake before coming down.”

The two nodded at each other going to separate ways to different areas of the home. Either to get ready for working in the lab or to try and sleep. Maybe to sleep and be awake to train. Even awake to work on that fix-it a machine, better yet (healthier option) bot sleeping off the mission.


End file.
